Pressure-sustaining sealing head



Feb. 9, 1954 .1. BfwlLsoN PRESSURE-SUSTAINING SEALING HEAD 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1950 ffl/12%.

:ge Il 1.11.

` INVENTOK Jamv E. Wfyarr,

Armi/VM Feb. 9, 1954 1 B wlLsoN 2,668,650

PRESSURE-SUSTAINING SEALING HEAD Filed Aug. 3. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENToR. )f f uzwy a' www@ ATMP/WK Patented Feb. 9, 1495.4'

UNITED srATEsj PATENT OFFICE '2,668`,650

.PRESSURE-SUSTAINING SEALING HEAD John B. Wilson, Indianapolis, Ind.,assignor, 'by mesne assignments, to Huylers, New York,

Y., a corporation of New York Application August .3, 1950, Serial No.171,450

14 Claims.

.The 'type of foil cap with which the invention A is primarily concernedcomprises a substantially planar cody adapted to rest loosely upon therim of a receptacle mouth .and a ,perimetral anga.substantiallyperpendicular to the body, adapted 'to overlie. span .orcosh-rond .the bead at the receptacle mouth, and further adapted .to bedistorted to a condition in which it embraces such bead .to secure thecap in place on the receptacle .mouth The present invention isparticularly concemed `with .mechanism for .thus .distorting capflanges.

Mechanism for accomplishing this function in connection with milkbottles and the like ,has been-known heretofore, typical .examples ofsuch mechanism being .disclosed in the patents to Hogg .2,086,552 and2,112,842. In such devices, a plastic element having 'flowcharacteristics is pressed agaianst the ,bodyof the-cap .to be appliedand then .a shroud or cowl is moved downwardly with respect to suchelement to produce a. -flowing action in the perimeter of 'such elementwhich .spreadsvor vrolls the cap flange into intimate .contact with theentire .surface of the bead and with a portion-of the receptacle surfacebeneath the bead., the receptacle body, inthe meantime, .sustaining thedownward force .necessarily exerted against the plastic .element toaccomplish that l:dow-ing action.

It is desired similarly to apply similar caps to other types ofcontainers made from materials too fragile, in an axial direction, -tosustain `.that

necessary downward pressure; and 1t is the pr1- A mary object of thepresent invention -to provide a .sealing head, otherwise similar to thedevices heretofore known in the art and vexempllied oy the.above-identified patents, -but so constructed as to .be self-sustainingand to relieve the receptacle .from the necessity of withstanding theforce required thus to mold the Jcap flange about the receptacle bead.

-,Some of such relatively fragile Areceptacles are fragile also in an.inwardly radial direction. :It will be obvious that `the moldingprslu'e lexerted against the :cap flange has 1a substantialradially-inward component. It .is a further nbject of the invention soto construct a sealing .2 head that the head itself will sustainthereceptacle rim against distortion resulting from the application ofsuch radially-inward pressure thereagainst during .the llange-,moldingstep.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention maybe embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings,attention being called to 'the fact, .however, that the drawings areillustrative only and that .change may be .made in the specificconstructions illustrated and described. so long as the vscope of .theappended claims .is not violated.

Fig. l is .a iront .elevation .of one form of sealing mechanismconstructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view therethrough taken substantially on Athe'line 2, .v2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is .a fragmental section taken substantially .on the line, V3 ofFig..2.; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmental View, taken on the plane of Fig. 2, but showingthe parts in different re1- ative positions.

Fig. 5 a side lelevation of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. -6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line y6 I6 ofFig. 5*; and

Fig. 7 is .a view A.similar ato Fig. 6 Jeu-t showing the parts indifferent relative positions.

Conventional capping (and sometimes lilling) machines include .twotypes, in .one .of which, -receptacles lto be capped are successively:brought to the .capping station where they are located up. on aplatform, which platform .is then reciprocated into cooperative relationwith .a lcapping device. The platform is then lowered, the receptacle islmoved away from the platform, .and a new receptacle to be capped isdeposited upon the platform. In another form of conventional cappingmachine, the platform isstationary, and the sealing head .is:reciproeated toward amaway from the platform. 'Hand Acapping :devices:are Ausually of the latterorm.

InFigs. 1 to 4,;1 have shown an embodiment of my invention adapted forinstallation in 'the former type :of conventional .mening wohin@- I haveshown ,fragments of a frame 1i! upon which is mounted a platform Ilguided in the frame Afor substantially vertical reciprocation, andmeans, formingno part of thenresent invention, is provided riorperiodically reciprocating the platform 1l L I have vshown a.conventional form of paper receptacle l2 stationed on the platform lland.`

iixed to the frame I0. A guidebeli t9'is preferably associated with thecowl. (Si.

Supported Within the cowl-rima head generally by the reference numealmandi snp ported upon a stem 2I guidedin aportionnfthe frame I0 forreciprocation in the line of`movement of the platform I I. The head,itszprefferred form as illustrated', comprises a back plate 22 andaforwardplate 2.3, both xedly supportedupon the stein. 2L and gripping.therebetween a plastic shapingr element 24 which projects perimetrallybeyond. the plates. 22. and. 23 as. at 25` The plates 22 and23.wi1l'preferably be quite rigid, and may be made ofany suitable metal.The shaping element 2L and.. particularly its perimetrally-proiecting.particuli. on. the other hand. will' be fomiedofplasticmaterial such asrubber or its. substitutes., dow characteristics. lreff'arably.r theforward faceof the plate 2 will he provided' with a. perimetral channel2S' opening forwardly and proportioned. to receive therixn of thereceptacle mouth. 8.o that the radially-outwardlyfacing wall of. 'saidchannelLwill' snugly. enter the receptacle mouth t'o sustain the rim ofthe re.- ceptacle against radially-inward distortion.

Journall'ed in a. frame portion I0.' upon, an transverse to the lineof'movement; of' the .platform tI and thehead.' 1Z0r is a rock. Shaft 21iixedly carrying` an arm 28. The remote end. of the arm 28' is pivotallyconnected to a 29 which, in turn, is pivoted'at' 39 to the upper end ofthe stem 2l. A second arm 3l is xedly. carried by-the rock shaft ZT'andhas its remoteend operatively connected as at.32 (through a suitablelost motion connection) with. a har 332. At its opposite ends, the bar33 isprovided with tapped openings 34, 3.4 in whicl are threadedlyreceived the upper ends of two rods35; 35. said rods being guided, as inbushings 35, 36 supported by the frame I0; for' reciigzromit-ion.inthedirection of movement' ofA the platform It and the stem 2I. Stop nuts3T; 3l" are" preferably mounted on the rods 35. 351.

The operationof the mechanism just' described is as follows: A fragilereceptacle I2, which may be made of paper or' similar material, islocated on the platform H" in registry with the cowl I6. a cap i4 beinglooselysupported upon the upwardly-opening mouth ofthe receptacle intlie manner illustrated in- Fig. 2: The rods 35'. 35 are nicelyadjusted, in their openings 34, 34. so that their lower ends will' beengaged by the platform H, upward movementof the platform, precisely atthe instant when the receptacle mouth bead I3- seats itself snugly inthe channel 26 of the head plate 23. The body I4 of the cap will'inwardly of the receptacle mouth by a very slight pressure which thereceptacle is capable of sustaining. as the bead so seats itself.

As the platform I I engages the lower ends ofl the rods 35, the rodswill be entrainedto par- 7.5 form-Hinregistry with the cowl ticipate infurther upward movement of said platform; and, as the rods moveupwardly. they will cause clockwise movement of `the arms 3l and 28, asviewed in Fig. 3, to enforce corresponding movement of the head 20.Thus, the exertion of any substantial pressure, between the platform IIand the head 20, axially upon the receptacle I2.. is prevented; and.-the'head 20 is.` forced to move. upwardly, with respect to thestationary cowl, along with the platform II and the receptacle I2.

Samb` upwardmoyement of the head 20 with respect'to theV tapered wall I1 of the cowl I6 results ima flowing distortion of theperimetrallyprojecting; portion: 25 of the element 24. thus rolling andmolding the cap flange I5 into intimate engagement with the entiresurface of the bead I 3' and with a portion of the external wall offthoreceptacle I2, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. The rods 35. ashas been said, cooperatewith the platform. II to prevent. the.- exertionof any substantial. force upon. the receptacle I2 in an axialdirection;4 and the receptacle mouth is sustained against distortion in.re.- sponse. to the radial pressure exerted thereagainst by. theportion. 25 ofv the. element. 2.4. by the engagement. of the plate 23.with. the inner surface of the receptacle mouth.

Asthe platform. Il retreats. it will befollowed by. thohead 2n. andtherods 35.11ntil. the collar 3K on the. stem. 2I meetsthe frame portion Iinwhichsaid stem isguidedi In the form of invention illustrated in Fig,5'. o.. frame 4u is fragmentally and somewhat diagrammaticallyillustrated; said frame providing a. platform 4I upon which areceptacle. IZ is adapted to be supported in registry witha cowl 4.2'similar to the. cowl" I6. The cowl. 42 is provided, with anupwardly-tapering inner wall 43' and an upper end wall 4'4; andpreferably a. guide bell 45 will be associated therewith.

A; headindicated generally by the reference numeral 46l comprises aforward plate 41 and a back plate 48 between which is engaged a plasticelement 49 similar to the element 24 and'h'aving. a. portion 50'perimetrally projecting beyond the the.stiff plates 47 and 48. The plate41' is preferably formed with a peripheral channel 5f functionallyidentical with the channel' 26;

Two rods 52, 52 penetrate the uppex` wall 44 of*- the cowl 42 and aresuitably suspended from a cross' bar 54'. A stem 55', suitably guided ina portion of the frame 413 for reciprocation toward and away from theplatform 4I, has its lower endreceivedin an opening 56' in the cowl wall44, andY carries a nut 51- whereby said cowl is suspended from the stem55. Screws 58.penetrate the bar 54 and are threaded into suitablesockets in the upper ends of. the rods 52. while screws 59 penetrate theAhead plate 4l andare received in sockets in the lower ends of the rods52; whereby thel head 46' is suspended from the rods $2-, and theelement' 49--isclamped'between the--plates4I-and 48. the latter. ofwhich is backed bypins'GIl-penetratingtherodsi.

Stcp-rods 6I, flmctionazlly similar to the rods 35.. are' threadediymounted'in' tapped openings 63-in the opposite ends-of the bar 5'4,which bar is supported centrally uponthe cowl 42; Stop Z0. nuts 64 arepreferably carried bythe rods or. and

said rods are guided, in frame elements 62, forreciprocation along lineswith the' line; of reciprocation of the stemi.

A receptacle I2= being located` upon the piat- 42,A andcarrying moveddownwardly by the force exerted thereupon by the stem 55, whereby thetapered cowl wall 43 will distort the perimetrally-projecting portion 50of the plastic element 49 to mold the flange I5 about the bead I3 andagainst the side wall of the receptacle I2 in the manner illustrated inFig. 7. During this operation, the radially outwardly facing wall of thechannel 5I sustains the receptacle rim against radial distortion, whilethe rods 6I sustain the downward pressure exerted upon the head 46,through the portion 50 of the element 49, by the downwardly moving cowlwall 43. A

`After the crimping or molding operation has been completed, the stem 55is lifted to raise the cowl 42. In most instances, the head assemblywill not partake of the upward movement of the stem until the cowl wall44 engages the bar 54. If, by any chance, the frictional engagement oftheportion 50 of the element 49 against the cowl wall 43 shouldentrainthe head assembly with the cowl during initial upward movementthereof, the 4bar 54 will soon strike the guide portion of the frame 40,whereby its upward movement will be arrested while the cowl returns tothe position of Fig. 6.

Obviously, the vertical position of the rods with respect to the bar 33,or of the rods 6I with respect to the bar 54, may be adjusted toaccommodate the mechanism to the capping of receptacles of variousheights; or rods of different lengths may be substituted for the rodsillustrated in order'to accommodate the devices to receptacles ofdifferent heights. Similarly, the plates 23 and 4l may be replaced byplates of different proportions to accommodate the mechanisms toreceptacles of different mouth diameters.

I have found that, through the use of the present invention, thecurrently extremely popular caps can be successfully applied toreceptacles which could not possibly be closed by such caps through anymechanism heretofore known to me.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a machine of the class described, a head member, aplastically-deformable element supported concentrically adjacent saidhead member and having a perimetral portion projecting beyond the limitsof said head member and free for deformation relative thereto, a cowlelement coaxially associated with said head member and presenting aperimetral wall toward said perimetral portion of said deformableelement for cooperation therewith, one of said elements being axiallytapered and said cowl element wall cooperating with said deformableelement perimetral portion, upon relative movement between said headmember and said cowl element in one direction, to deform said deformableelement perimetral portion toward the center of said deformable element,a platform member adjacent said head member, means for effectingrelative movement of said platform and said head and cowl toward eachother, and a spacer normally xed relative to one of said members forlimiting the approach of said platform member and headmember whilepermitting further approach of said platform member and cowl element toeffect relative movement of said head member and cowl element in saidone direction.

2. A machine for crimping a cap upon the beaded mouth of anaxially-fragile receptacle, comprising a platform upon which the bottomof such a receptacle may rest, a head above said platform forregistration with a receptacle on said platform, means for producingrelative movement of said platform and head toward each other, meansincluding an element operatively connected to said head for arrestingsuch relative movement at the point of engagement of said head with acap supported on such a receptacle supported on said platform, aplastically-deformable element concentrically supported adiacent saidheadand having a perimetral portion projecting beyond the limits of saidhead and free for deformation relative thereto, a cowl coaxiallyassociated with said head and presenting a tapered perimetral -walltoward said perimetral portion of said element for cooperationtherewith, said cowl wall cooperating with said element perimetralportion, upon relative movement between said head and said cowl in onedirection, to do form said element perimetral portion toward the centerof said element, and means for effecting relative movement of saidplatform and cowl toward each other after arrest of relative movement ofsaid platform and head toward each other to deformsaid elementperimetral portion.

3. The device of claim 1 in which said spacer is normally fixed withrespect to said head member and further is adiustable relative to saidhead member to vary the relative positions of said head member andplatform member .at which such approach is stopped.

4. The device of claim 3 in which said spacer comprises a pair of rodsadjustably threadedly connected to said head member, projecting towardsaid platform member, and engageable withv said platform member to limitrelative movement of said head and platform member toward each other.

5. The device of claim'l in which said cowl element is fixed, said headmember is axially reciprocable relative to said cowl element, saidplatform member is reciprocable, in the line of movement of said headmember, and said spacer establishes a driving connection between saidplatform member and said head member at a point intermediate the ends ofthe path of movement of said platform member.

6. The device of claim l in which said platform member is fixed, saidhead member is supported from said cowl element, said cowl element isaxially reciprocable toward and away from said platform member, saidmeans for effecting relative movement has a driving connection with saidcowl element, and said spacer engages said platform member at a pointintermediate the ends of the path of movement of said cowl element andsupports said head member therefrom during further movement of said cowlelement toward said platform.

7. In a machine for applying to the open, perimetrally-beaded mouth of afragile receptacle a cap of deformable material having a body and adepending perimetral flange adapted, when said cap body rests on the rimof said receptacle mouth, to span the bead at the receptacle mouth. theinvention comprising a platform for supporting the bottom of such areceptacle, a head adapted to engage the body of acapresting on themouth of a receptacle so supported, means carried by said head andmovable relative thereto to engage the ange of such capand crimp thesame around and under such bead, cam means operatively associated withsaidmovable means and acting, upon relative movement between said headand said cam means in one direction, to actuate said movable means,means for producing relative movement of said platform and said head andcam means toward each other, and means independent of such receptaclefor arresting relative approach of said platform and said head whilerelative approach of said platform and cam means continues, saidarresting means, comprising a spacer element fixed with respect to saidhead and engageable with said platform to limit the exertionof pressurebetween said platform and said head upon suchreceptacle.

8. Forming apparatus comprising a platform adapted to support a ,fragilereceptacle having a closure thereon, a cowl adapted to enshroud saidclosure and the portion of such receptacle with which said closure isassociated, a shaping means having flow characteristics located withinsaid cowl, said cowl and said shaping means being relatively axiallymovable and said cowl cooperating with said shaping means, upon suchrelative movement in one direction, to cause' said shaping means toexert radially-inward shaping pressure upon such closure to mold thesame into conforming engagement with the' external surface of suchreceptacle, meansffor effecting relativek movement of said platform andsaid cowl and shaping means toward each other, and spacer meansindependent .of such receptacle and comprising a rigid element extendingbetween said shaping means and said platform forl arresting relativeapproach of said platform' and shaping means while relative approach ofsaid platform and cowl continues.

9. In a device of the class described, a frame, a platform guided bysaid frame for reciprocation relative thereto, a cowl fixedly supportedby said frame in the line of reciprocation of said platform, a headconcentrically associated with said cowl and supported for reciprocationrelative thereto in said line, an annular shaping element havingfiowcharacteristics carried by said head and projecting perimetrallytherefrom for cooperation with said cowl, a rod guided in said frameoutside said cowl for reciprocation in the direction of reciprocation ofsaid platform, an end of said rod projecting into the path of movementof said platform, and means providing a driving connection between saidrod and said head to enforce reciprocation of said head relative to saidcowl upon movement of said rod by said platform.

10. The device of claim 9 in which said driving connection includes anelement connected for movement with said head, said rod having anadjustable threaded connection with said element upon an axis parallelwith the line of movement of said platform.

1l. The device of claim 9 in which said driving connection comprises arock shaft journalled on said frame on an axis transverse to the line ofmovement of said platform, an arm fixed tomove with said rock shaft,means providing an operative connection between said arm and said head,a member having an adjustable threaded connection with said rod, asecond arm fixed to move with said rock shaft, and means providing anoperative connection between said second arm and said member.

1'2. In a device of the class described, a frame, a platform stationarywith respect to said, frame, a cowl guided in said frame forreciprocation toward and away from said platform, a head concentricallyassociated `with said cowl, means supporting said head from said cowlforrelative movement therebetween in the line of reciprocation of saidcowl, an annular shaping element having flow characteristics carried bysaid head and projecting perimetrally therefrom -forjco-v operation withsaid cowl, a rod fixed for move-l ment with said head and engageablewith, said platform, upon movement of said head and cowl toward saidplatform to arrest approach of said head toward said platform whileapproach of said cowl toward said platform continues, said cowl, duringsuch further approach, acting uponsaid shaping element to produceiiowing distortion thereof radially inwardly. 3;, 13. The device ofclaim 12 in whichsaid rod fixed to said head for adjustment relativethereto in a line parallel with the line of movementofsaid head. v

14. 'I'he device of claim 12 in which said cowl enshrouds said head andshaping element y'and is formed to provide an internal surface progresssively tapering away from said platform, the means supporting said headcomprising an element fixed to said head and penetrating that wall ofsaid cowl remote from said platform, anda bar outside said cowl andadapted to rest on said remote cowl wall, said element being fixed tosaid bar and said rod being fixed to said bar. JOHN B. WILSON.A

References cited in the fue of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATENTS

